Brees threw two touchdown passes, Graham tied an NFL record with another 100-yard game and the Saints beat the Bears 26-18 on Sunday to remain unbeaten.

“We knew the formula coming into this game was to remain patient, to run the football effectively, to be very efficient in the passing game and to take care of the football, priority No. 1,” Brees said, “and we were able to do all those things.”

Brees was 29 of 35 passing for 288 yards in his first victory in four career games at Soldier Field. Garrett Hartley matched a career high with four field goals as New Orleans (5-0) picked up its first win in Chicago since a 31-10 victory on Oct. 8, 2000.

Graham continued his torrid start for the Saints, catching 10 balls for 135 yards in his fourth consecutive 100-yard game — matching an NFL record for a tight end. Tony Gonzalez was the first to accomplish the streak in 2000, and Graham matched the surge in 2011.

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Graham and Brees said they spent more time together during the offseason, and it looks as if all that work is paying off.

Graham helped the Saints hold onto the ball for 36 minutes, and Brees' team had no turnovers. The ball control was crucial with Alshon Jeffery putting together a career day for the Bears (3-2).

Jeffery had 10 receptions for a franchise-record 218 yards, breaking Harlon Hill's mark of 214 at San Francisco on Oct. 31, 1954. He also had a 3-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.

“What I did out there, I'm more concerned about the 'W,' not about what I did,” Jeffery said. “It's a team thing. It took 11 guys to get 200-plus yards or whatever I had.”

Jeffery's 58-yard catch set up Jay Cutler's 2-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall, and Matt Forte ran in the 2-point conversion to trim New Orleans' lead to 26-18 with 2:11 remaining.

The Bears got the ball back with 21 seconds left and no timeouts. Cutler then passed to Jeffery in the middle of the field for 21 yards, but time expired before they could run another play.

“It's just a few plays here and there,” said Cutler, who was 24 of 33 for 358 yards and two touchdowns in Chicago's second straight loss. “Against a team like that, the way they played offensively and ate up the clock, it's hard to rebound if you miss three or four plays in the game.”